Francis Irritates Spain

On Wednesday, Pope Francis was given in Rome a shirt of the Football Club Barcelona. Although he only speaks Italian or Spanish, Francis replied in Catalan language, “Catalunya t’estimo” – “Catalonia I love you”. Catalan is the language spoken in Barcelona. Many Spaniards received these words as a provocation in a time when an open fight for Catalan independence is going on in Barcelona. The Argentinean webpage MDZ Online commented that Francis should have thrown cold water into this fire, not wood.